Evergreen Group to enter aircraft component production business

TAIPEI--Evergreen Group, a Taiwan-based shipping and airline conglomerate, has announced plans to enter the aircraft component manufacturing business and devote itself to the development of Taiwan's aviation industry.

Evergreen Chairman Chang Yung-fa said his group is determined to use its efforts in aircraft component manufacturing as a force to strengthen the local aviation sector.

Moreover, Chang said his group will try its best to support the development of Taiwan's transportation sector in a bid to boost the island's global competitiveness in the particular area.

Chang made the comments in a speech after receiving an honorary doctorate degree in engineering from National Cheng Kung University Tuesday. The degree was conferred on the Evergreen Group chairman in recognition of his contributions to aviation technology and international transportation.

The chairman said he thinks there is great potential to develop Taiwan's aviation sector, and in addition to the plan for aircraft component production, his group aims to help build the island into an aircraft maintenance hub in the Asia Pacific region for the civil aviation business.

Currently, Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp., a joint venture between the group and U.S.-based General Electric Co., operates three aircraft maintenance hangars in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan.

Chang said as demand for maintenance services is on the rise, Evergreen Aviation Technologies has filed an application with the local transportation authorities to set up a fourth maintenance hangar in Taoyuan to expand the capacity.

Evergreen Group is also planning to work with the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of National Cheng Kung University to provide a civil aeronautics engineering program to train professionals in the area, Chang said.

Chang said the program will serve as the beginning of cooperation between the group and the academe.

The program will provide a wide range of courses, such as aircraft structure and operations, aircraft maintenance, basic flying knowledge and flight security, Evergreen Group said.

The group added it will assign specialists from Evergreen Aviation Technologies and EVA Airways, the group's international carrier, to lecture in the program.